Earbuds go by many different names, including earphones, in-ear headphones, in-ear monitors or simply buds. They also come in all shapes and sizes and can be both wired or wireless, with some variations. Probably the most widely known (and worn) earbuds are the AirPods, which Apple launched in 2016.
Compared to over-ear and on-ear headphones, they offer a more compact, lightweight design that’s easier to set up and store. Earbuds are often cheaper too (usually), and have better stability. Being small does have its disadvantages - namely with sound quality, which can’t match wired headphones - but every music lover should own at least one pair all the same.
Latest about Earbuds & Airpods
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The best budget wireless and wired earbuds you can buy today, with options from Sony, Nothing, EarFun, JLab and more.
AirPods Pro 3 fall to AU$299 at Amazon
The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are down to AU$299 at Amazon for Prime Day in Australia, which is the lowest price we’ve seen.
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Nothing’s new, pink Ear (3a) earbuds have landed, but the new USP will surprise you
Nothing's new Ear (3a) don't just deal in the odd use of parentheses and new colorways; there's also on-ear chat recording and a host of new features
An unofficial leak gives us an early look at the Nothing Ear 3(a)
The Nothing Ear 3(a) are launching tomorrow, and here's what to expect in terms of their design.
Samsung may finally join the clip-on open earbuds market, with 'Galaxy Able'
The Galaxy Wearable app has name-dropped a few new products from Samsung, including rumored clipping buds
I've tested headphones full-time since 2019 — here are top models of 2026 so far
Four sets of headphones; four pairs of earbuds: I look back at the best I've tested so far this year, and select my own antithesis to the 'hateful eight'
